Do you know how much it costs Great Britain when employees are injured at work or get a work-related illness? Being injured at work doesn't only have financial repercussions for the employee but also costs the employer and the economy. We've broken down the costs in Great Britain so you can see what employers have to pay for each time their employee is injured in the workplace. You'll be surprised by the statistics!

According to data collected by Health and Safety Executive, every year, injuries at work result in significant costs to the UK economy. If an employee has to take time off work as a result of an injury or sickness caused by work, an employer will have to pay for:

£14.3 billion - the total cost of illnesses and injuries at work in Great Britain

This number has decreased by 18% since 2004/05 but it has not declined further since 2009/10. Showing employers still have room to improve.

By breaking down these costs between individuals, employer and government we can see how much injuries at work cost.

Individual

£ 8.2 billion

Government

£ 3.4 billion

Employer

£ 2.8 billion

The greatest cost is to the individuals (the victims) of the illnesses or injuries caused in the workplace. The cost of time off work and health care is a major expense.

How much do injuries at work cost employers?

The cost of injuries at work for employers seems smaller in comparison to the cost of individuals and government but here we can see the breakdown of what employers have to pay for when an employee has to take time off work.

When an employee has to take time off because of a workplace injury or sickness, an employer pays for:

Statutory sick pay (occupational sick pay)

National insurance paid on statutory sick pay

Reorganise work flow

Payment for temporary staff

Employers' Liability Compulsory Insurance

Increase in health insurance

Administration cost of statutory sick pay

Legal costs

Additional fines

The biggest cost to British employers is the cost of statutory sick pay (1,145 billion) and Employers' Liability Compulsory Insurance (1,176 billion).

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